Street-cleaning machine.



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5 h 6 F Au .w m a P INVENTOR WITNESSES ATTORNEY 00 1 9 1 Ku h 6 F M n m P 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR WITNESSES ATTORNEY WITNESSES a, I I

J. N. M. KEYZER.

STREET CLEANING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 9. 191's.

Patented Feb. 5,11%

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NVENTOR ATTORNEY annr a e.

j :rosnrrr 1v. M. KEYZER, or nvnorrnune, wvrnerrrrn.

STREET-CLEANING ivracnrnn.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 5, fhf.

Application filed November 9, 1915. Serial No. 60,550.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH N. M. KEYZER, citizen of the United States, residing at Lynchburg, in the county of Campbell and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Street- Cleaning Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to street cleaning machines and contemplates primarily an improved sanitary high speed dustless street sweeper, sprinkler and dirt collector.

Essentially, the invention may be said to consist of a dirt and dust accumulator, a fixed shovel or dust pan leading thereto, an endless traveling brush for directing the dirt and dust first onto the shovel and thereafter tothe accumulator, a means to remove the accumulated dust and dirt, a sprinkler mounted to operate in advance of the traveling brush and a means to render the several devices operative or inoperative, as desired.

In describing my invention in detail reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like 'orcorresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figurel is a side elevation of my improved street cleaning machine;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating the relative arrangement of the traveling brush, the endless conveyer; and the dirt and dust container;

Fig. 3 is a rear end elevation, partly broken away;

Fig. 4: is a top plan view, the dirt and dust container having been removed; and

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the clutch device.

Before proceeding with a description of the drawings I desire to call particular attention to the fact that while I have evolved my invention with reference to its use as a street cleaning machine (motor propelled), the same, if'desired, may .be utilized as a sidewalk or floor cleaning device (hand propelled).

Referring'now to the drawings by numerals, 1 designates as an entirety a motor vehicle equipped with the following devices, to wit: a dirt and dust container 2, a water tank or receptacle 3, a dirt and dust accumulator 4, a shovel 5, an endless traveling brush 6, an endless conveyer 8, a sprinkler 9, a. clutchdevice 10, and a control lever 11, the latter being operable "to simultaneously raise the brush 6 from out of engagement with the ground or other surface to be cleaned, to operate the clutch 10, and tocut off the water supply to the sprinkler 9.

In taking up the devices in the order named, it will be noted that the dust or dirt container 2 is arranged directly beneath the tank 3, and in such proximity to the accumulator 4 as to receive the dust and dirt, re moved through the agency of the conveyer 8, therefrom. An outlet opening (undesignated but illustrated) is formed in the rear end of the container 2 that the contents thereof may be discharged therefrom when desired. A door, designated as an entirety by the numeral 12, ofa' novel construction, is mounted to close the opening in the contalner, the mentioned door comprising a door section 13 hinged as at 14 and a door section 15 hinged as at 16, the latter, door section 15, being relatively heavier than the former, door section 13, as willappear hereinafter, to automatically close subsequentto a discharge of the container contents through the opening therein. The door section 15 is equipped with a keeper 17 for engagement with the door section 13 that the latter may be locked in a closed position so long as it is desired that the contents of the container re main inclosed. A lever 18 is fastened as at 19 tocthe door section 15 and connected as indicated at 20 to the door section 13 that the said two sections may be opened or separated simultaneously through manipulation of a control element 21 connected to an arm 22 of the lever-18. By exerting a pull on the controlelement 21 it is evident that the arm 22 andthe lever 18 will move forwardly in such manner-"as to move the door sections out of engaging proximity, in which event the weight ofthe dust and dirt will gravitate through the opening. Door section 15 being. of a relatively greater weight than the door section 13 it is further evident that the sections, subsequent to a discharge. of the container contents, will automatically close,

and by reason of keeper17, readjust themselves into locking relation to confine the subsequently collectedudust and dirt within. the container 2.

Comingnow to the description. of the sprinkler device, the sprinkler, designated as with such moistened surface, may perform ment of the brush 6 may be effected, as de- "itsfunction without the usual resulting dgst. A'pipe 23, disposed at oneside of the machine, leads from the tank 3 to the sprinkler 9. f The pipe 23 is. equipped with a sprmg actuated valve or cock 2a, the handle (undesignated'iof which is at'all times in engagement with the control lever 11 for a purpose subsequently to appearv "Ihe shovel 5, at its'rear or lower end, 1s provided with a'member 25 movable, when itisdesired that the machine be rendered in operative, about a hinge 26 to a position out of alinement with the shovel '5. The member 25 is in turnequipped with a flexible ground contact member 27 onto which the dust anddirt is swept during advancement of themachine. r

' Passing onto a description of the endless traveling brush 6,28 designates a shaft mounted to extend transversely of the vehicle, said shaft, with a shaft 29 and a roller 30, affording a guide means for the 7 brush 6, it being understood that the mentioned shafts28 and 29 are equipped with sprocket wheels (undesignated) that movesired. Said brush 6, in operation, comes in contact with the surface to be cleaned to engage said surface :while traveling horizontally that the dust and dirt swept thereby-maybedirected onto the ground contact element'27. From the ground contact memonto the member 25, next onto the shovel 5, and. finally to the accumulator 4 where it is carried, by operation of the conveyer 8, upwardly into the container 2. The said conveyer 8 is inclosed in a suitable casing 31 that the dust and dirt in evidence as a result of the agitation of the conveyed material,

maybe confined to the interior ofthe ma- 'chine. 'Therear wall ofthefcasing 31 is extended as indicated at 32 to offeran abutment for the brush 6 that the latter may positively contact therewith to be in such manner partially if notwholly cleaned? 'Movement'is imparted to the brush'6 and to the conveyer 7 from-ashaft 33. Said shaft33 is provided with a sprocket 34 over which a chain 35 operates, .the men- 'tioned chain engaging with a second sprocket 35' mounted on a shaft 36 disposed in parallelism with the shaft 28 and in a horizontal planethereabove; "Said shaft 36 carries apulley 37 over which a belt 38 op erates todrive the conveyer 8, the pulley be ing arrangedor adapted to engage a second pulley 39 mounted on a shaft 40 so arranged withrespectto the conveyer 8 as to afford *afguide therefor; v The shaft '36 is further provided with a gear $1 with which a gear I 42 'mountedon theshaft 28 is in mesh.

Through such an arrangement, motion is transmitted to the brush 6. Motion is also transmitted to the rear axle 43 of the ma- V the power transmitting means. Sprocket 14 is mounted on the shaft 36 and sprocket 4-6 on the rear axle :13.

Each shaft 29 which, as before suggested, affords a support'for one end of the traveling brush 6, is journaled in brackets 47 disposed one at each side of the machine. One of said brackets is pivoted as at 18, while the other of said brackets is made integral with the lever 11 and in fact forms a part thereof, the lever, as illustrated to advantage in Fig. 1 being fulcrumed at $9 in axial alinement with the pivot point l8 noted above. A link 50 pivoted at one end to the bracket 47 and at its opposite end to the member 25 will cause said member to be moved with the bracket when it is desired that the brush 6 be moved from engagement with the surface to be cleaned, and the member 25 accordingly moved.

Passing onto a description of the clutch mechanism, 51 designates a clutch lever pivoted as at 52, intermediate its ends, to a standard 53 secured to the machine. Said lever at one end is connected to a yoke arm 5a which is mounted to engage a sliding spring actuated clutch member55 that the latter may be moved longitudinally of the shaft 36 when it is desired that the mechanism constituting my improved street cleaning device be rendered inoperative. Said lever 51 at its opposite end is connected as 100 indicated at 55.with the lever 11 that movement of the latter will rock said lever 51 and operate the yoke arm 54 in the manner stated. If desired, a keeper 56 may be provided to hold the lever 11 against a return 106 movement subsequentto depression. A rod 56 connects the brackets t7 to act jointly as a brace and as a brush contact member.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings it will be 110 noted that the several moving parts of the machine obtain the required motive power from the shaft 36; that depression of the lever 11 will not only raise the endless traveling brush from out of contact with the 115 surface to be cleaned, but will at the same time operate the valve 31 to shut off the water supply to the sprinkler 9 and so act upon the clutch device 10 as to render operation of the moving parts of the machine inoper- 120 ative'; and that the only operation necessary accent/s is the most efficient and practical; yet realizing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of my device will necessarily vary, I desire to emphasize the fact that various minor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, When required, Without sacrificing any of the advantage of my invention, as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus fully described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a motor driven street cleaning machine the combination of a transversely extending transmission shaft, a power shaft, sprockets on the ends of said'shafts, chains connecttiopiee of this patent may be obtained for tall ing opposed sprockets of each shaft, sup' porting wheels, sprockets movable therewith, a second set of sprockets adjacent each end of the transmission shaft chains connecting said sprockets and the Wheel sprockets, a gear loosely mounted on the trans mission shaft, a clutch for connecting said gear with the shaft, an endless traveling brush. and a gear for driving said brush in mesh with sald first gear.

In testimon whereof I aifix my signature in presence 0. two Witnesses.

JOSEPH N. M. KEYZER. Witnesses:

J. WV. ARTHUR, 'A. J. Evans.

aenington, ID. I 

